Sandy Cough Plagues Homeowners Cleaning Up

by Marc Santia, NBC New York | published on November 29, 2012

Patrick Zoda has been working nonstop for a month, trying to save his Staten Island home after it was badly damaged by Sandy. As he works, the debris cloud filling his house has also been filling his lungs.

Dr. Brahim Ardolic, chairman of Emergency Medicine at Staten Island University Hospital, says he has seen a greater number of patients with respiratory issues in recent weeks, mostly in people with pre-existing conditions. The combination of flu season and Sandy cleanup — which has brought unhygienic conditions, dirty water and mold into homes — is a perfect storm for sickness, he says.

“Which of these factors actually cause these people to come in is very difficult to say, but clearly, there is an increase in the number of people that are coming in with these conditions,” Ardolic said.

Zoda, who lives in Midland Beach, says this cough is different from anything he’s had before.

“It is a very dry cough that I have. It’s not a normal cough,” Zoda said.

And doctors say it’s not just mold that could irritate residents, but also dust and insulation.

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